


Memento of Us

by kristsune



Category: Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)
Genre: Gift Giving, M/M, and sasha for that matter, barnes and sasha deserve to be friends, barnes just wants to find the perfect gift for carter, goblin week, hinx is my new goblin oc and i love them dearly, ive only just met them and they are a joy, look i love knives and so does carter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-12 14:13:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29011830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kristsune/pseuds/kristsune
Summary: Barnes just wants to find the perfect gift for Carter. A little help from Sasha just might get the job done.
Relationships: Commander James Barnes & Sasha Racket, Commander James Barnes/Howard Carter (Rusty Quill Gaming)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 20





	Memento of Us

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Zai42 and [this tweet](https://twitter.com/FLoaBComic/status/1353828449320890368?s=20) I managed to bang out 1300 words in an evening??? which like never happens. So, I hope this is actually good. I had a lot of fun writing it.   
> Also, Hinx is my new precious gentlethem and I adore them a lot. I needed an oc, and it is goblin week, so it had to be done, and I for one, am delighted about it.   
> Shout out to howshouldiknowboutlife for the title <3

“Wotcher.”

Barnes startled badly, and only his iron control kept him from squeaking out loud. He did press his hand against his chest, as he turned around, feeling like his heart was going to beat out of it.

“You’re gonna give me an actual heart attack one of these days.”

Sasha just shrugged before continuing, “You still lookin’ for something for Carter?”

Barnes felt his face grow warm, how did she know about that? Before he could get the question out, she continued.

“Don’t ask. Look, I got the perfect thing. You free?”

Barnes had only been taking care of his kit, nothing he couldn’t save for later. “Yeah, I’m free.”

“Good. Try, and keep up this time.” She winked, and was out of the room in a blink. Wilde  _ had _ to be teaching her magic, she was good, but she wasn’t  _ that _ good… was she?

\-------

By the time he caught up with her, Sasha was seemingly lounging (anyone else that looked at her might  _ think _ she was lounging, but Sasha didn’t lounge in public, she was as alert and ready to stab as ever) at the entrance of a small, mostly hidden shop. Barnes still had no idea where Sasha had taken him, and the shop was no help there either, there wasn’t even a sign out front advertising what was inside.

Sasha nodded him in, and followed after letting him choose his path around the place. 

Barnes’ eyes were wide with wonder as he looked around the small cramped room. Despite its size it was filled to the brim with wares, and Barnes had to be careful in his study of them, because what this shop had were knives. What had to be  _ hundreds _ of knives. There wasn’t a dull spot in the joint; large, small, double ended, three sided, long and thin, short and thick, plain and practical, ornate and impractical, literally any kind of knife one could imagine, and everything in between. 

After a few minutes of goggling, Sasha beckoned Barnes over to a small table near the desk where an older goblin was busy putting the finishing touches on a simple but elegant throwing knife. They were a lighter color than Barnes was used to seeing, even lighter than Vesseek, but almost a grey white. The color reminded him of some of the lichens that grew in the forest, soft and fuzzy looking. 

“Wotcher, Hinx.”

The goblin’s ears perked up towards the sound and looked up, gazing through thick magnifying glasses distorting their large maroon colored eyes. They lifted them up, and smiled widely when they recognized Sasha, baring their rather large, sharp teeth, “Sasha! What can I do for you today?” 

Sasha nodded at Barnes, “My friend here needs a gift for a… friend.”

Barnes started to blush again, but Hinx just nodded, left ear flicking as if in amusement, “A.. friend, you say? Hmmm, yes I think we could do something for you. A friend of Sasha’s is a friend of mine. Come on, come on, over here, don’t have all day.”

Barnes followed Hinx as they hopped off their tall stool, pulling their ears flat to duck, and weave around the assorted tables, and shelves, and desks until they got to a case. They continued to talk as they pulled a key from under their shirt, “I know Sasha here could get this lock undone faster without the key, but she’s willing to indulge an old goblin like me, set in my ways.”

“At least you let me replace the lock on your door, no one except you or me is gonna be able to get through that.”

Hinx chuckled, a soft rasping sound, “Ain’t that the truth.” By this point Hinx had gotten the door open and started poking around, tossing a question to Barnes over their shoulder, “Does your friend actually use knives? Or just think they’re pretty? Get a lot of both in here, but Sasha brought you, so I’m going out on a limb, and guessing the former.” 

Barnes thought of Carter with his knives, second only to Sasha in skill, “Yes, he’s quite good.”

Hinx was still poking around, pulling out a few knives before putting them back, “Tell me about him.”

“Well, he’s loud, and kind of clumsy, but can throw a knife better than anyone except Sasha.”

“Nah, mate, he’s better at throwing than I am, I can best him in close combat, but throwing he’s just got me beat.”

Barnes raised his eyebrows at the praise.

“Don’t tell ‘em I said that.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

Hinx chuckled again, reminding Barnes that he was still describing Carter, “He’s a bit flash, likes nice, shiny things, but wouldn’t want a knife he couldn’t use.”

Hinx made some soft humming sounds before exclaiming, “Ah ha! Yes, these are what I was looking for.” They pulled out five knives, they were a touch bigger than many of Carter’s current ones, but that wasn’t the first thing Barnes had noticed. Each of these knives had a different and beautifully intricate pattern etched into them. 

“Damascus steel, these, a right pain to etch, but your friend might like one of these. Got a bit of flash, but quite useful and extremely sharp.”

Barnes saw Sasha’s eyes widen when she saw them, and he could tell her appraisal instincts kicked in and already knew exactly how much they were worth, but Barnes really only had eyes for the knives. Now he was no expert. Sure he knew his sword, and he knew blades, but not like Carter, or Sasha. But these? These were gorgeous, obviously expertly crafted; care and attention put into every detail. All of the patterns were positively lovely, but one in particular caught his eye, and he pointed it out to Hinx, “This one, this one is perfect.” 

Hinx smiled sharp and bright, ears forward, all attention on Barnes, “An excellent choice, friend of Sasha, an excellent choice, indeed.”

\-------

“What’s this?” Carter held the long flat box Barnes had given him.

Barnes shrugged a shoulder, blush rising up from his (continuously) bare chest and up his neck, “Just… well.. a little something. I - I wanted to get you something for… well, just to give you .. something.”

Carter started to open the box as Barnes’ speech petered out. It was adorable when he lost words when he was shy about something. Carter was about to put him out of his misery when he reached what was inside.

“Barnes…?”

“Y-yes?”

“Is this one of Hinx’s knives?”

“Oh, you know of them?”

“Uhh, yes. Very well known among rogues. High quality stuff. And they’re a good sort, wouldn’t even steal these from them.”

“Sasha would punish you”

“Sasha would punish me.”

Carter hadn’t taken his eyes off the knife since he opened the box. The patterns folded into the steel were stunning, and created the perfect backdrop for design that was etched into it, which was a delicate branch of cherry blossoms arching across the blade. It was absolutely beautiful, and Carter was suddenly reminded of when him and Barnes had been in Japan together, and their first hesitant kiss under a cherry blossom tree.

Wait a minute. Wait a  _ fucking _ minute.

“Barnes, did you get this because it reminded you of us in Japan?”

The blush that had started earlier had spread up to Barnes’ cheeks, and even so far to the tips of his ears. Barnes hated to admit it, but he really was a big sap. Carter absolutely loved it.

“Yes.”

Carter’s eyes started to water, no one had ever got him a present like this. Not only was it a really fucking excellent knife that Carter would get  _ a lot  _ of good use from, but there was meaning and sentiment behind it. Barnes thought about  _ him _ and what  _ he _ would like, and it was something that reminded Barnes about  _ them _ . Carter never really experienced anything like it before, it was a bit overwhelming, but in a nice way. 

Carter gently put the knife down, and pulled Barnes into a hug, “Thank you, James. I love it.”

Barnes wrapped his arms around Carter’s waist, and pulled him close, “You’re welcome, Howard, I’m glad you like it.”

“Gonna stab so many people with it.” Carter emphasized the wobble in his voice just to hear Barnes’ soft huff of laughter. 

“As long as you’re having fun.” 

Carter backed up enough so he could look at Barnes, but didn’t release him, just brought one hand to his cheek, “Always, with you.”

Barnes smiled softly. “Just don’t have too much fun, and stab me with it.”

That took half a second for Carter to process, and then just burst out laughing, before he exclaimed, “That was  _ one _ time!  _ And _ it was an accident!” 

Barnes just smiled that infuriatingly smug smile he always got when he cracked Carter so thoroughly. Carter could do nothing except pull him back into the hug and leave a kiss in his hair, feeling Barnes smile against his skin. 

Barnes may not always be good with words, but he sure knew how to make Carter feel cared for. 

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to stop by and say hello over on [twitter](https://twitter.com/Kristsune) or [tumblr!](https://kristsune.tumblr.com/)


End file.
